Island Hopping

by ZareEraz

ZoroxLuffy. As captain and crew journey through their many adventures, we'll be taking peeks into the little moments that pop up in Luffy's and Zoro's lives. There will be a little love, a bit of worry, a dash of anger and frustration, and a whole lot of excitement as these two find their crewmates and find places in each other's hearts. Fluff and good stuff! Update in progress

21. Blood, Sweat, and Tears

A/N: ZareEraz here! I know it's been a while but now it's time to play catch-up! In the next week-ish or so I'm going to be writing and uploading chapters from Water Seven to Amazon Lily so stay tuned for a lot of updates! I'm starting with Water Seven, of course! And since this is the fourth time I've personally had to open up this can of hurt and tears (watching it and writing it), I'm really sorry if I don't do the feels justice. But I'm going to do my best anyway! So…I'd like to say "enjoy" but this chapter isn't really one to enjoy per se and you know what I mean – I hope you like reading it all the same. I'm also calling bullcrap on Chimney for seeing Luffy in between two buildings from, like, twenty blocks and a huge bridge away. Bullcrap, Chimney.

A/N as of February 2021: Okay, you can throw metaphorical bricks at me...I did not deliver on the chapters I promised you years ago. But now I'm back and ready to roll! SUPER! If you're just checking back in with the story, I've gone and edited and updated all of the previous chapters and even added new stories in the G8 and Long Ring Long Land arcs, so go read those too! Now to the important stuff: Are you ready to cry? I'm ready to cry...so let's read on!

Chapter 21: Blood, Sweat, and Tears

Swift Retribution

Wow! A real caravel!

What a cool ship! Have you guys seen the front? Totally awesome!

Okay! It's all done! Now the Going Merry has everything she could possibly need!

Are you saying it's impossible for us to continue sailing on the Going Merry?

Yes. No matter how much you pay, that ship cannot be restored to how she used to be.

I'm not getting a new ship. The Going Merry is the ship of the Straw Hat Pirates!

Humans become stronger hardship after hardship. But ships are different. Their wounds just pile up.

But I don't want to leave the Merry! I love her!

We all do. But her wounds are too deep. There's nothing we can do.

Usopp! Usopp! Hey! Say something! Are you alright! Open your eyes! Usopp! Hey! Usopp! Who did this to you?! Was it the Franky Family?!

It happened…'cuz I'm weak…they took…they took all the money! Nami…how can I…face…the others…now? We were finally able…to fix…the Merry! I'm so…ashamed…!

Unforgivable. That's what this was. Not only had the Franky Family stolen from them but they had also hurt their friend before and after he'd tried to get the money back. Usopp had done his best for his ship, for his pride, and for his friends, but he'd been overwhelmed. And that's where they found the sniper, crumpled on the ground and clinging to life, just a stone's throw away from the Franky House. Luffy, Sanji, and Zoro stared down at their broken friend, waiting as Chopper looked him over. He carefully turned the wounded man onto his back and checked for vital signs and where he was most hurt. It was disgusting just how cruel the Franky Family was. Unforgiveable. Unforgiveable. Unforgiveable!

"Is he still breathing Chopper?" Luffy asked after a few moments, his voice low.

"He's unconscious…." The doctor's voice was thick, as if he was going to cry, his man-beast hands trembling as he hovered over his friend. "But yes, he's breathing. He'll live. I can save him!"

Luffy's hand came up to his head and rested on the crown of his straw hat, tipping the brim over his eyes, shadowing his face. The whole crew knew that look. That was the look of a man itching for a fight, and not just any fight, a fight that he wasn't going to lose no matter what. Sanji lit a cigarette, gearing up for a beat down. Zoro pulled his bandana off his arm and wrapped it around his head, his face set in the avenging scowl of a demon. Chopper stood up, his great height towering over his friends as he snorted, his teeth clenched in barely restrained fury. The Franky Family, no, Franky, was going to pay for what he'd done, every last bit of it from Usopp's defeat, to stealing the money and all the trouble in between.

"You wait out here for us, okay, Usopp?" the captain asked, staring down at the bloody and tear-streaked face of his sniper. "We're going to level that stupid-looking house to the ground."

The four remaining men of the Straw Hat Pirates advanced on the Franky House, walking side by side in a line of unmovable determination and swift retribution of those who had hurt their friend. The Franky Family was going to pay dearly for everything they'd ever done. Luffy could hear them now, laughing and shouting from inside their hideout, sounding like there wasn't a care in the world. He growled under his breath, furious with them, drawing Zoro's attention from on his right. The swordsman glanced over to his captain, seeing his livid glare and mouth set in a frown so unlike his usual smile, and Zoro found himself smiling a cruel grin to himself for just a moment before wiping it off his face. He usually almost pitied anyone on the receiving end of Luffy's fist when he was this furious but he didn't feel any pity for the Franky Family. They deserved it. He was feeling everything that Luffy was right now, they all were: hate, disgust, unbridled fury, and the desire for revenge. Luffy was pissed. Zoro was pissed. Sanji was pissed. Chopper was pissed.

And the Franky Family wasn't going to know what hit them.

They'd reached the huge door to the Franky House. Luffy stopped, his last step almost a stomp, sending up a small cloud of dust. Silently, Luffy had decided the point past which they were not allowed to retreat and it was right outside the door. Once they were inside that stupid-looking house, they were not allowed to come out until everyone in there had suffered their wrath. Zoro's hands drifted to his blades, gripping the scabbard of the Wado Ichimonji. Sanji picked up his right leg, tapping his toe on the ground to adjust his shoe, ready to grind his heel into those bastards' faces. Chopper tensed his arms, his beastly strength barely held in check. Luffy brought up his fists and cracked his knuckles, his eyes narrowing on the door. He was going to punch it down but the door opened all by itself. A huge man with pink hair and a hat, wearing stupid-looking glasses and an outfit that looked like an iron diaper with suspenders stepped out, looking down at the four men in front of him.

"Hm?" he said, but that was all he got to say before he was punched in the face by Luffy's rocketing fist. He was sent flying backward, blood spurting from his nose and broken face, ripping the door off its hinges because everything happened so fast that he hadn't been able to let go of the doorknob. The rubber man's arm recoiled back into place before the gigantic man had even hit the ground, the impact breaking the floor and sending up a cloud of dust into the air.

"What happened?!" one of the other men shouted, barely dodging the crash. He looked at the door and saw four men standing there, one of them wearing a straw hat. More of Franky's men looked at the door, their anger kindled at the men who'd interrupted their party.

"Who the hell are those guys?!"

"You jerks! You got a death wish?" A moment of silence passed before the Franky Family knew what they were up against. They swallowed in unison, fear prickling up their spines as they began to recognize the amount of shit they'd just gotten into.

"I recognize them! It's that pirate!" a man with spiky black hair and tan skin breathed, sweat running down his neck as he figured out who was attacking them. "Straw Hat Luffy!" Most of the Franky men started sweating too, the 100 million Beri bounty on Luffy's head a formidable testament to his strength.

"Hahaha!" a deep voice laughed from behind the crowd of Franky's goons. "So, you came to get your money back, did ya?" A man just as huge as the last one with bright orange hair walked up to the front, setting an iron breastplate and collar on his exposed skin. "Bad move. Just take a look around you. Do you really think that the four of you are enough to handle all of us? Hahaha! But, since you're here, we might as well take those big bounties you've got on your heads!"

"Hahaha!" the spiky, black-haired man laughed. "He's the captain of that long-nosed weakling we took care of earlier." More of the men laughed.

"With that pitiful excuse for a pirate on his crew, he can't possibly be that strong!" another shouted. But they were still intimidated by the presence of the scrawny man they were making fun of, no matter how illogical it was.

It was true, the Franky Family had them outnumbered, but they were outclassed, even if they didn't know it.

"Let's go!" The huge man with the orange hair stood in front of Luffy now, looming over him. "Come on, shrimp!" Luffy lifted his head up to glare at him, his eyes narrowing menacingly. If looks could kill, this man would've been dead twice over.

"Now Gum-Gum…" Luffy growled, throwing his arms back and punching them at lightning speed, stretching them and moving them like his Gum-Gum Gatling. But his punches weren't hitting anything, stretching just far enough to almost smack the starred, armored belly of Franky's goon. The man looked down, confused as to what Luffy was doing.

"What do you think you're doing?" he asked, amused.

"Haha! Are you punching him?!" another of Franky's men howled gleefully. "Not even a battleship's cannon can put a dent in that armor!"

"Hahaha! What a joke!" another laughed. Luffy's crew waited for the rest of the attack, knowing that Luffy hadn't finished anything yet, not even the name.

"If you're just going to play around, then I'll go ahead and end this right now!" The huge man lifted up the battle axe in his hand and went to bring it down on Luffy's head but he never got that far. The rubber man's punches sped up another notch and converged on the star on the man's armor, becoming an unstoppable attack with unbelievable force in an instant. He broke through the armor, shattering a hole in the metal and sending the second huge man flying just like the first.

"CANNON!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! He punched a hole right through it!" All of Franky's men were screaming now after having a taste of what was to come. If Zoro wasn't so pissed, he'd have been smiling at the terror his beloved had caused. There was nothing quite as sadistically sweet as knowing that his boyfriend's punches were stronger than a battleship's cannon. It made the swordsman very proud to be his lover.

"Hey! Hold on! Wait a second you guys!" The spiky-haired man was speaking now, holding up his hands defensively to the Straw Hats. "Let's talk about this first!" No response. "Okay…guys?!" Still no response. "Okay, guys! Fire the cannons!" A bunch of Franky's men ducked, revealing six cannons that were set to fire on the crew. They released their payload as ordered and Zoro stepped up, wanting to measure up to his boyfriend's arrack. He ran ahead and placed the Wado Ichimonji in his mouth before beginning his assault

"Now, Three-Sword Style…Karatsuma…" He jumped into the air and drew the Yubashiri first, sliding one cannonball, and then drew the Kitetsu, slicing another before making four more cuts while spinning. The cannonballs exploded behind him and his crew, never having reached their targets. "…Raven Hunt!"

"What?! Impossible! Those cannonballs are made of iron!" Zoro glanced up, his eyes hooded by his bandana, holding the same glare as his captain's eyes. He moved in the next instant, slicing one of the cannons into two, shocking the Franky Family with his speed and skill.

"The cannon's too?!" they screamed as it collapsed. If Luffy hadn't been so pissed, he'd have been smiling at the panic his boyfriend had caused. There was nothing quite as satisfying as seeing grown men nearly wet themselves when threatened by his lover's blades.

"Holy crap! These guys are seriously bad news!"

"Let's get out of here! Everyone run for the back door!" They ran, trying to escape their punishment, but Sanji wouldn't let them escape. He jumped, leaping onto one of the cannons, and then sailed over all of Franky's men. He landed in a one-handed handstand on some guy's face, glaring down into his terrified eyes.

"You're the ones that started this fight. It's kind of pathetic to run from it like cowards," he snarled. "Party Table…Kick Course!" Using the face he was balancing on as his platform, the cook swung his legs around while spinning on his hands, becoming a tornado of kicks that devastated anyone within leg's reach. He knocked everyone out of his way, landing on the ground in a cloud of smoke, and blocked the back door and anyone who was trying to get out.

"We can't make it to the back door! Use the windows!" The men still standing ran for any exit, but they were blocked yet again by the doctor of the Straw Hat pirates.

'Rumble!" Chopper growled. "Horn Point!" He slapped his hands on the ground, leveling his growing horns at those trying to make a run for it, the sharp points as deadly as any sword. The men running towards him were now running away as he ran after them, tossing, and knocking away anyone in his path. "Roseo Colonnade!" More men were thrown to the ground injured and now the Franky Family's forces were devastated.

"Waaaaaiiiittt! Waitwaitwaitwaitwaitwait!" The spiky-haired man was waving his hands again. "It's about the money, right? You just want the money back!? The 200 million Beris that the long-nose guy had?!" Luffy's eye twitched at the mention of it as his men walked back to his side. "Is that it?! I'm sorry to be the one to tell you but that pile of money isn't here anymore! Franky, the family boss, took it all and went on a shopping spree! And since he's buying something on the black market, we don't have any idea where he might be or even how to find him! So no matter how much of a rampage you go on that 200 million won't be coming back!" Luffy pulled his arm back. "So why don't you-" And then he punched that guy right in his blabbering mouth.

"Zambai!" a man with a beard shouted as his comrade flew into the back wall.

"Shut up. That's enough out of you," Sanji hissed. "This has nothing to do with the money."

"Damn straight," Zoro growled. "It's too late for that." This is for our friend!

"Not even your bones will be left when we're done," Luffy promised, clenching his fist. The Straw Hat men went to town, smashing and cutting everything and anyone in their path, no matter how many tricks the Franky Family tried to pull or how they fought back. The carnage and destruction lasted only as long as Chopper's Rumble Ball did – they hadn't needed any more time than that because the house collapsed on top of everyone still left inside

The smoke started to settle as Sanji smoked another cigarette, sitting on a bit of rubble talking to Zoro about whether or not they should go after Franky. They didn't know where to look and the bastard's subordinates really hadn't known where he'd gone. They were stuck. Chopper had run back over to Usopp to treat his wounds after his ordeals and was still over there, unwinding and then cutting and rewinding bandages around his friend. Luffy was up on top of what used to be the crescent moon adorning the roof of the Franky House, staring out into the sea. Zoro looked up at his captain and wondered what he could be thinking about. He thought Luffy might still be mad about Usopp even after taking revenge – the swordsman felt the same way. Luffy might also be worried about what they were going to do about the Merry if he'd heard the assessment from Galley-La. Or he might be worried about both, all the while still hating Franky for the mess he'd landed them in. Their friend was hurt, they'd lost two-thirds of their money, their ship was on her last legs, and they didn't know where Robin was – this day couldn't get any worse.

"Okay!" Chopper called, waving his little arms up in the air to get the cook's and swordsman's attention. "The first aid treatment is all done! We need to take him back on a stretcher, so I could use some held over here!"

"Hanging around here won't do any good. Let's head back to the ship for now," Sanji suggested. "We left Nami there all by herself and Robin's still missing. The ship's a problem too," he finished, getting to his feet and looking up at where Luffy was standing. The rubber man hadn't said anything for a few minutes now and they'd left him alone to sort things out but now it was time to go.

"Yeah," Zoro sighed, starting to walk over to help Chopper.

"Hey! Luffy!" the blond man called, trying to get his captain's attention.

"I've made a decision. About the ship," was the reply he got. The beach suddenly seemed so quiet, only interrupted by the calls of seagulls in the distance. Even Zoro stopped walking to hear what his captain had to say. "It's time to part ways with the Merry. We'll say goodbye to her here." Zoro and Sanji sighed, understanding in their heads that Luffy was making a smart choice – a logical choice – for once. But no matter how logical it was, all of their hearts were a little heavier after hearing his words, their chests a little tighter as they thought about leaving their friend behind. They bundled Usopp onto a makeshift stretcher and made the long walk back to the ship.

Merry was waiting for them, just like she always was.

Chopper instructed the guys to put Usopp in the lounge so that he could care for the sniper, and while the doctor worked, Luffy told Nami what he had decided. She was sad, but not surprised; already knowing that Merry was too injured to repair. They all took a moment to look at Usopp, knowing what this news would do to him. He was still unconscious as Chopper worked, so he'd have to be told once he woke up. Having done what a captain should do, Luffy took his leave from the lounge and walked out onto the deck. Finding himself useless as well, Zoro followed after his lover. Luffy walked to the bow of the ship, boosting himself up onto Merry's head, before lying down on top of her with his arms around her neck, his legs dangling down behind her horns. He hugged the ship for quite some time, silent and listening to the waves hitting on the rocky shore of Water 7. Zoro was silent as well, having sat down and leaned on Merry's railing in his usual fashion, his swords resting against his shoulder. He kept a watchful eye on his captain as he waited, also mulling his own feelings over. He loved the Merry as much as any of them did and it hurt to see the crew suffering. Clearly, Luffy had a lot on his plate right now, so Zoro decided to do whatever he could to support him through this dark time.

After a long while, Luffy finally spoke, waking the swordsman from the doze he'd slipped into. "Hey, Zoro," he began. "Did I make the right choice?"

He took a moment before responding, letting the waves and the creaking of the ship fill the quiet. "I think," he said softly, his heart aching for his crewmates, the ship, and his captain, "I think this is what Merry would want." The swordsman saw Luffy's hat bob in reluctant agreement.

Luffy squished his face against Merry's head, hugging her all the tighter. "Merry…" he began, wanting to get his words right. "I'm sorry we can't take you with us. You're a good girl and a good friend." His voice was barely above a whisper, but it seemed as if the whole world quieted, the sounds of waves and birds and island clamor dying down. "You're going to rest here, okay? You've come so far and I'm happy that you're our ship." Merry rocked gently, her head bobbing up and down with the movement of the ocean. Luffy felt her sturdy wood underneath his hands, he felt her strength and he thought that, maybe, he maybe could feel her sorrow. That moment of connection seemed to last an eternity as captain and ship said goodbye, but then it faded away, like sand slipping through an hourglass.

The next thing Luffy knew, there were a pair of strong hands on his waist, pulling him up. He was surprised, but he knew those calloused hands very well. Zoro had climbed up the Merry's neck and took his lover in his arms. He sat down in the captain's spot and crossed his legs so that Luffy could sit on his lap. He placed the young man in his seat and then wrapped him up in a warm embrace. The rubber man didn't even complain about someone else sitting in his spot and just sank into those strong arms. Zoro rested his chin on Luffy's head, having snatched his signature hat off of his head and tucked it into his belly warmer. Luffy closed his eyes and Zoro followed suit, both of them sitting in silence once again as Merry gently rocked them on the sea. Zoro felt time slipping away from them, like the dread that comes before a storm unleashes its fury. The peaceful afternoon could not last – they were going to lose their home and friend and nothing could stop that.

This day could not get any worse.

But it would.

Lines in the Sand

Luffy stood on a small island at the edge of Water 7, the rest of his crew behind him on the Merry, waiting for Usopp to come back. It was nearly ten in the evening and the moon had risen high in the sky already, illuminating the night softly with enough light to see with. Or to fight with. It was chilly, the sea breezes picking up after a day of relatively calm weather as if nature itself knew what was going to happen to the Straw Hat crew. As if it knew just how much turmoil was lingering in the hearts of six individuals. One of them was furious and lost, somewhere in the city. One of them was resigned to what was about to happen, and they were all worried.

Luffy's head was swimming with the conversation and the ensuing argument that he had Usopp had had when the sniper found out that the Merry couldn't sail anymore and that they were going to part ways with her here on Water 7.

This wouldn't have happened if I was strong like you guys. I'm sorry! It's all my fault! I'm so ashamed of myself! I know that money was important! All the trouble we went through! What about the Merry?! Is Merry going to be okay? Can we get her repaired with the money we have left? It's great that we have all these awesome shipwrights to work on her! I know it's going to be rough out there, so I want her to be stronger than ever before!

That's what Usopp had wanted, it's what they all had wanted really, but it just wasn't possible, even with all the money in the world. Luffy had thought hard about it but he saw no way that Merry could continue on with them without endangering all the lives that she carried. Her keel was already broken and, according to the Galley-La shipwrights, could never be fixed again. They could replicate the Going Merry for them, but that ship would be a different ship; it would never be the Merry they knew and loved. Additionally, they were out two-thirds of their money thanks to the Franky Family, which would greatly hinder their ability to fix her. But if they continued on their journey with Merry and if she broke in a storm, or even on a normal day, with no island in sight, it would be Luffy's fault for not taking care of his friends, including his ship. Merry was a good ship and had carried them for so long and so far, but it was now time for her to rest. In face of these facts, Luffy had to do the hard thing: telling Usopp what decision he had made for the safety of the crew and for Merry.

We aren't having them repair her. We decided to get a new ship instead. I know that we probably should've asked you first but we didn't have much choice. Either way, I've made up my mind. The Going Merry has taken good care of us but it looks like our journey with her has to end here. He'd said it with a smile he didn't really feel, trying to be the strong one because Usopp was not going to like any of this. Luffy had come to peace with the Merry's impending end as much as he could in a short amount of time, and it's not like he was ungrateful for her dedication to them, but she was old and tired and there was nothing wrong with that. The rest of the crew agreed with him as well, no matter how much they hated it. But with Usopp, it was completely different. When Luffy had broken the news and they all saw the devastated look on the sniper's face, the whole crew's faces dropped as well. They weren't happy about it but they knew that it was time to let the Merry go. However, Usopp was of the opposite opinion.

Wait…just stop…I get it, Luffy, but the joke's gone on long enough, okay? See? Chopper doesn't know you're kidding! Geez, captain! You should know better than to treat your crew like that! Come on, Nami, back me up here! That's when Luffy's smile faded and Usopp looked around at the faces of his friends, finally getting that Luffy wasn't joking at all. He started to panic, thinking that the repairs couldn't be afforded because he'd lost the money and he started blaming himself, but that just wasn't true at all. Merry couldn't be fixed and Luffy wasn't kidding around. They both started arguing, Usopp yelling about not sugar coating whatever Luffy had to say and Luffy shouted back that he wasn't. Even Zoro felt the need to step in a started to break them up when the two got in each other's faces. Usopp even started going after the rest of the crew!

How can you just sit here when he's making jokes about getting a new ship!?

I'm not joking about anything! This was a hard decision for me too!

"Oh yeah! I feel really sorry for you!

The fight continued for a few moments more as Usopp goaded Luffy into telling him what was wrong. If losing the money didn't matter, then why was he looking at buying a new ship? What was so damn wrong?! Why wouldn't Luffy tell him what was really going on?!

If we can't afford the repairs because I screwed up, just tell me! Don't show me some stupid catalog and change the subject! I want to know the truth!

The Merry can't be repaired. He'd said it. He'd said it right to Usopp's face just like he wanted, and it blew up into a fight that neither of them backed down from. That neither of them could take back.

What…w-what did you just say? That's what Usopp had asked next, his eyes wide and shifty, like he couldn't believe it even if it was the truth. Luffy hadn't wanted to say it again, it hurt too much, but he was forced to anyway, making sure that his friend knew he was serious. But it hadn't helped, it hadn't done any good. Usopp still refused to believe that the Merry was at the end of her journey, that she couldn't be fixed. His behavior was infuriating because the sniper was stomping on everyone's feelings by acting like the battered ship could be fixed, that she could still carry them when just the opposite could (and would) kill all of them. He was also disregarding their love for her by ignoring all the hurt and the heartache in favor of his own hurt and disbelief. If they could do anything for her, they would. If they could take her anywhere, they would. They weren't giving up on Merry like Usopp thought they were, it was just time. It was time to let the good, old ship go.

The same horrible thought kept rattling around in the Luffy's head: if the Merry really didn't hold out until the next island like the shipwrights had said, then they were all dead. It wasn't a joke, it wasn't something to laugh at or brush off and yet Usopp did, basically calling the professional assessment a load of shit, insulting his captain's decision by saying that Luffy didn't believe in the strength of his ship or his crew, by basically calling the captain an untrusting dumbass. But Luffy didn't just have himself or the ship to worry about – he had to worry about all six of his friends on top of that and he wouldn't let them pay for his foolishness if he had decided to sail on the crumbling Merry. He wouldn't let them die because one man refused to face the truth! Even Sanji and Nami tried to talk some sense into the sniper, but nothing worked. They tried to deescalate the fight but that didn't work either. Luffy reiterated that they were getting a new ship whether Usopp liked it or not, that was the safest and most humane decision that he could make, for them and for the Merry. But Usopp still wouldn't listen. And that's when Luffy had almost said something unforgivable, something that, in the heat of anger, he would've regretted saying for the rest of his life.

He'd almost told Usopp to get out of his crew.

But he was glad that Sanji had kicked him into a wall before he could finish.

But it still hadn't helped and it still didn't do any good.

If you're going to throw away the Merry…then you might as well throw me away too! Usopp had said it. In different words, he'd basically called his friend an uncaring sack of shit. He then said that he believed that Luffy had only invited him onto the ship out of pity in the first place. To Usopp, it seemed like the journey they'd been on had been only a means to an end. His lack of trust and lack of confidence in their friendship fractured whatever bond they had left. Usopp believed that Luffy didn't care about him in the way that he actually did, even if he was angry, even if he didn't really mean it, that's what he'd said. Hearing that, Luffy's heart broke a little more.

Usopp left the crew, letting the door shut behind him without another word. Then he'd challenged Luffy to a duel for ownership of the Merry, adding insult on top of injury for all of his friends. It wasn't enough that they had lost their ship, lost Robin, and lost Usopp as well, but now the former friends were locked in a fight that neither of them could back down from. Sanji, Nami, and Chopper had run after Usopp as he left the Merry, calling his name, trying to get him to come back. Luffy had listened in silence as Zoro stood by his side. A few moments later, the captain of the Straw Hats had gotten up and walked outside, at least willing to watch his friend go. Zoro followed him out, still silent, and kept an eye on his lover, watching the way his face looked on the brink of anger again or on the brink of devastation. It hurt to see him like that. All the swordsman could do was stand by his side and offer a warm hand to him, which Luffy took in his own. They both stared out towards Usopp and the giant fountain of Water 7, neither speaking, but understanding everything that passed between them. If there was one thing Luffy could count on in this world it was that Zoro would continue to stand by his side even when their hearts were breaking.

Everything about that day was hurting and it would continue to hurt and scar their hearts as the night fell and things got worse.

Nami had said it best: Just this morning we had all been so happy…and now what? We lost Usopp…Robin's still missing…I feel like if we don't do something…the whole crew is going to fall apart.

And that's why Luffy was now standing in the cool sea wind staring into the city, waiting for the inevitable. Everything was falling apart, but if he could keep it together long enough for them to get through this fight, through finding Robin, and through getting a new ship…then he could break. That's all he could do.

A small part of him hoped that Usopp would just turn tail and be a coward like he was sometimes, but Luffy knew that this was too big to back down from and too close to home to give up on. He wanted the Merry and he'd fight a 100 million-Beri pirate to get what he wanted. It was horrible, just how much they'd turned on each other. They were friends: they'd laughed together, cried together, fought together, ate together, make fun of each other together, played together, and celebrated together. All the memories of East Blue, Little Garden, Alabasta, and Skypiea were swirling around in Luffy's head, making each breath more painful, each moment a little more heartbreaking. Usopp's laugh, his jokes and games and lies, and cowardly attempts that were so endearing were now pricks of agony digging away at his heart. But Usopp came anyway, fury burning in his narrowed eyes.

The rubber man bit his lip, trying to keep everything he was feeling at bay, trying to give Usopp the duel he wanted without being distracted by just how hard this was going to be. Usopp was going to fight his best friend and he was going to try and crush him into the dust if he was even capable of that in the first place. Usopp was his friend! Friends shouldn't fight like this! But talking hadn't worked and they'd only hurt each other – there was nothing else to do but fight and then say goodbye.

"No matter how this battle ends, you can't regret it. This is exactly what you asked for." That was the last thing Luffy had said to Usopp, right before they fought, hoping that the sniper was at least resolute in his conviction to tear them apart.

And so they fought. When Usopp attacked, he'd fought Luffy with everything he had. Luffy had been on the ropes, unable to really fight because it was Usopp, because he used to be his friend, because Usopp knew him inside and out and had learned how to cause the most pain. Rotten eggs, fire, gas, caltrops, pepper, Flash Dials, Impact Dials, even his own Gum-Gum Bazooka – no matter what was thrown at him; it still didn't hurt as much as when he punched the crap out of Usopp. He gave it everything he got. Just like Usopp had wanted.

Usopp fell and then Luffy fell to his knees as well, holding the trembling arm that had just hurt his friend.

"You idiot," he breathed, covered in cuts and bruises, his mouth burning, his eyes tearing up, his soul aching. "You knew it would end like this! You knew you could never beat me!" Luffy cried in agony, the sound ripping out of his throat. He didn't know how he was going to stand up or how he was going to take another step with the pain he now carried in his chest. But he had to do it. Usopp had fought him to the best of his ability, so he had to give him the courtesy of an honorable defeat. So Luffy stood up and walked away, retrieving his hat from the battlefield and placing it on his head.

"Do whatever you want with the Merry. I won't let anything hold us back," he said, refusing to look back at his former crewmate. "We're getting a new ship and sailing forward. So long, Usopp. It was fun…while it lasted."

Chopper tried to run to Usopp, to treat his wounds, but Sanji stopped him, trying to give Usopp dignity in defeat, just as his captain had. Luffy kept walking toward his crew, but he had to stop before he got back on the Merry, pulling his straw hat down to cover most of his face. Zoro turned to look down at him and Nami did too, her eyes full of tears, her lips trembling. Sanji did the same as Chopper stopped resisting him. Everyone was left watching their captain.

"It's too much," Luffy whispered, his voice barely heard over the wind. Zoro was feeling just as horrible as he was, seeing his captain trying to cover up his pain and his sadness behind the object that got him his epithet. It was as if he was trying to hide behind the façade of the pirate Monkey D. Luffy, while he was just reduced to a man who was losing everything…reduced to just Luffy.

"This is what it means to be captain," Zoro assured him, the truth in his words sounding harsh and understanding at the same time. "You can't doubt yourself. In times like these…" the sad and tearful faces of his crewmates stood in front of him as he spoke, "If you lost your confidence…then who can we have faith in? Let's pack our things and go. You know as well as me, after tonight, we can never return to the ship again." Zoro's heart ached as he finished speaking, taking charge as he respectfully ignored Luffy's tears. He couldn't bear to see his captain in that state and he couldn't bear to see the crew like this, so he stepped up and got them moving before they could dwell on their losses. They could mourn later, together and with dignity.

The crew got ready to leave after Chopper ran over to Usopp, leaving him all the medical supplies he'd need, even if the reindeer couldn't treat him personally to save the man's pride. Luffy got onboard after his doctor, heading down the trap door to the men's room while the rest of the crew went up to the kitchen and storage rooms to start gathering everything. They left Luffy alone, knowing that he needed a moment to not be captain so that he could keep his pride as well. The only one who did follow the young man down was Zoro, quietly climbing down the ladder and into the room that they'd all shared from the beginning of their journey. Luffy was standing in the middle of the floor, shadowed by darkness since he'd neglected (or refused) to get a light. The swordsman waited for Luffy to acknowledge his presence, listening quietly as the rubber man sniffed and tried to muffle his soft sobs. He didn't turn around and didn't indicate that he knew Zoro was there, so after a few minutes in the darkness, the swordsman spoke one word.

"Luffy." That one word had Luffy running into his arms, his straw hat falling to the ground. He buried his head in the swordsman's chest and cried. The rubber man had thought he could hold it together until they got a new ship and until they left this miserable island behind but he just couldn't. It was too much…too much to bear alone.

"Zoro…" Luffy's fists bunched into the other man's shirt, gripping the fabric harshly. "It hurts…it hurts so much…I can't breathe…!"

"I know it hurts." Zoro kissed the top of his lover's head and held him closely, enveloping the smaller man in his huge arms, and tried to cover up this moment of weakness so that no one but him could see it. Luffy was strong, stronger than all of them, but this had him sobbing like a child, weak and stripped to the core as he lost one of his dear friends. Zoro didn't want to see it – he wanted to see Luffy smile and laugh – but this was a part of his love that he couldn't ignore. As much as they seemed like unstoppable, crazy monsters to everyone else, they were only human. Zoro hugged Luffy tighter, letting him soak his shirt in tears, giving him this one moment to be weak before they had to go. Luffy would be strong for them, he always was, so just this once, this one time while they were alone, he could be the strong one while Luffy was weak. That's what it meant to be second in command, that's what it meant to be a part of a crew, that's what it meant to be a partner, and that's what it meant to be a lover.

This is where anger and hurt had brought them, and what it had left in its wake was excruciating to bear.

Taking the Fall

Of course, they'd landed themselves in another fine mess.

Luffy, Zoro, Chopper, and Nami had broken into the Galley-La main office in an attempt to find Robin. They wanted to at least get her back, since Iceberg reasoned she'd be back to try and kill him again when Luffy had broken in to talk to him earlier that day, after dealing with Franky's wrath for beating up his men. The Straw Hats were being blamed for the first assassination attempt on Iceberg's life, even if it was a lie, and they couldn't accept that Robin had betrayed them. So, they decided to pull some truly criminal acts and broke into the main office. Luffy, of course, had put a wrench in their plan by running off ahead and then had the audacity to now take out the guys at the front gate (because he was made that he got smushed in between two buildings), putting Nami, Chopper, and Zoro in a tight spot with fighting off the Galley-La shipwrights outside the main office. After fighting their way through a lot of men and keeping Zoro from getting lost, the trio reached Iceberg's room and burst through what was left of the door. At the same time, Luffy and Paulie smashed through the left side wall, creating more rubble. What was inside Iceberg's room was something that no one was expecting.

Lucci and Kaku, shipwrights from Dock 1, a man with bull horn hair, and the secretary lady along with Robin were trying to kill and steal from Iceberg, attempting to gain the ultimate weapon, Pluton, for the World Government. They were CP9, a secret agency within the government with a license to kill in the name of justice, which is what they'd been sent to do in order to gain the blueprints for Pluton. The shock was devastating: Iceberg and Paulie were betrayed by people they thought were friends, and Robin was a part of that betrayal, leaving behind her friends in order to fulfill some wish she had and throwing them in the fire despite the fact that she was wanted by the government herself. It was ridiculous! None of this made any sense! But that didn't stop Robin from leaving and that didn't stop Luffy from fighting to get her back.

Lucci had already knocked him down once, brushing off his Gum-Gum Gatling like it was nothing and then Finger Pistoling his throat until he slammed into a wall. The weird powers were tough; it even had Zoro shocked when Luffy hit the ground. CP9 was strong; this wasn't going to be an easy fight. They were backed up against the wall and still in the dark about so many things. Everything that they'd tried to keep together since they found out the Merry couldn't be saved was fracturing again, falling apart even more as Robin betrayed them.

How could you do this?! That was the question they were all asking.

"I did it to make my wish come true. A wish that can't be granted as long as we're together," came Robin's only answer, her face set with hard determination. "You may not find it fair, but to accomplish my goal, I'll make any sacrifice."

"I see," Zoro shot back, his face just as hard. "And that includes framing your crewmates for attempted murder. So what is this wish of yours?"

"I don't have to answer that question," she hissed, the calm Robin they all knew giving way to a cold one.

"Are you out of your mind? Wake up, Robin! You have no right to do this!" a wounded Iceberg shouted from the floor where he had collapsed. "I don't care what it is you're trying to accomplish, the consequences are far too great!"

"I've heard enough! This is no longer your choice to make!" Robin glared at the blue-haired man, raising her arms up and activating her Devil Fruit powers. "This should shut you up!" Arms sprouted from the Iceberg's back and the floor and twisted him into submission.

"Iceberg!" Paulie yelled. The Straw Hats were shocked at Robin's behavior, unable to reconcile her cruelty with the woman they'd come to know.

"I won't let anyone get in my way!" Robin declared, her voice low and menacing. Her eyes were hard as they flared with emotion, but there was something lurking in their depths that made Luffy pause. What was causing her to look so tortured, even as she was the one doing the torturing?

"Nothing you're saying is making any sense!" Luffy shouted, trying to get Robin to explain herself. "You expect me to believe this!?"

"Robin! What happened to you?!" Chopper wailed, clearly distressed. "You're our friend, right!? Please, Robin, come back!"

She never got to answer because Lucci was talking again, breaking up the conversation and stating that they were done here and they were done with the Straw Hats too. Kalifa, the secretary lady, had apparently rigged some explosives that were about to go off and set the whole building on fire, burning everything and everyone still inside. And CP9 had no intention of letting anyone get out of this alive. And they were standing in between Robin and her former crew, blocking the Straw Hats from getting their friend back.

"Looks like it's going to be us against them. And our 'friend' Robin has clearly picked her side." Zoro stated, his hands going to his sheathed swords. "Luffy, Robin is not one of us anymore. Do you accept that now?" Chopper and Nami waited for his answer.

"No! No way!" Luffy yelled, refusing to lose someone else, refusing to lose any more of his friends to this damn island. Nothing good had happened to them here and he was not going to let Robin get away from him before she told him why!

"So noisy," Lucci tsked. "Anyway, the first floor is about to set fire – it won't be pretty. But to be fair, the culprits are just pirates. You can't expect them to be subtle." His damn face was pissing Luffy off! And the fact that he was pinning all of this on them was completely infuriating when they hadn't done anything wrong!

"You bastards!" Paulie hissed.

"That's nice of you to pin your attempted arson on us, but I think I'll pass." Nami leveled her Clima-Tact at the agents.

"What's one more crime?" the bull-horned man asked, "When we're just going to execute you anyway?"

"Well," Robin said, pulling up the hood of her green cloak. "I suppose I'll take my leave now."

"You've done exactly as you were told, good work," Lucci answered.

"Robin!" Luffy yelled, trying to get her to stay. "Don't go! You're still one of us!"

"This is farewell," was all she said in reply.

"Robin!" Chopper and Nami called out to her. The dark-haired woman walked towards the window.

"Stop her…Straw Hat…" Iceberg wheezed, desperate to stop the woman who could destroy the world. Luffy didn't even need to be told; he was already running towards his friend, determined to beat the crap out of the three CP9 agents standing in front of him and get Robin back.

"We finally found you! I won't let you run away again!" he cried, chasing after her. "Out of my waaaaaay!" Luffy leaped up, ready to kick the bull-horn guy in the face.

"Iron Body," he intoned as the rubber man's foot crashed into his mouth. He didn't move and he didn't get hurt either due to the strength of his Iron Body.

"How come nothing I do to these guys fazes them!?" Luffy growled as he landed on the floor, unnerved by the secret agents.

"In addition to our offensive techniques, our training has also given our bodies the capability to become as solid as an iron wall," the bull man explained. "Of course, your punches are weak to being with."

"Whatever! I said, 'out of my waaaaaay!'" Luffy whipped his arms back and let loose a Gatling, trying to move the mountain of a man in front of him.

"Paper Art," the bull man said, his body moving faster than Luffy's fists could, dodging every punch sent his way.

"Even though he's big, he sure is fast!" Chopper gaped, watching as his captain failed to land even a single punch. This was unbelievable!

"He's moving like his body's made of paper!" Nami figured out the technique, but that didn't help Luffy one bit. Robin was still getting away!

"Oh, no! Robin!" Luffy stopped punching as he saw Robin almost reach the window and tried to move around the bull man. However, the huge man just blocked the rubber man's view again. He glared up at the agent, his eyes burning. "Move it." If looks could kill, Blueno would've been dead several times over. "Gum-Gum….PISTOL!" Luffy's signature punch came barreling at the man, but he said "Shave" and disappeared before it could connect, letting Luffy's attack fly wild.

"He disappeared!" the rubber man gasped, yanking his arm back into place.

"My legs are so strong that they can move faster than your eyes can see." The man's voice was coming from behind him! When did he get there!? Luffy didn't waste a moment in trying to punch him from behind, but Blueno leaped into the air and seemed to be jumping without stepping on anything at all!

"Moon Walk." The bull man was near the tall ceiling now, hovering over Luffy. "In fact, I can even leap off of the air itself."

"Tempest Kick!" Kalifa and Kaku moved in, kicking Luffy right in the stomach. It looked like an ordinary kick, but something was off, Zoro could sense it. A slashing attack?! And it hit Luffy directly!

"Get down!" he yelled at Nami and Chopper, desperate to spare them at least if he couldn't do the same for his lover. "Hurry!"

"Why?" Nami asked and they all ducked. Luffy came flying past them and tumbled down the hallway, the kicks also slashing the walls in half and sending up gusts of air and dust.

"Luffy!" Chopper yelled as the man hit the ground behind them.

"They did all that with a single kick?!" Nami breathed, terrified of these people. "No way!"

"Technically, it was the sharp gust of wind that followed it," Kalifa explained, just for kicks. "We call it the 'Tempest Kick.'" Zoro didn't care what the hell it was called; Luffy was down for the moment and he was the one who specialized in slashing attacks, so he shot into action, running full speed towards the long-nosed guy who'd visited their ship yesterday. He drew the Yubashiri and attacked, his hand on the Kitetsu as Kaku countered with a huge carpentry chisel.

"We met on your ship, didn't we, Roronoa?" Kaku asked, already knowing the answer. Zoro growled and drew his second sword. That one was also countered by a huge chisel, and now the men were locked in a standoff, their strength pushing against their enemy with no give for the other.

"You said you people aren't real shipwrights," Zoro started, his voice strained from holding off the man. "So does that mean you lied about the Merry too?!" He had to know – he had to know if a lie had torn apart their crew, had hurt his captain and his friends. He had to know if these bastards had made Luffy cry for nothing! If they had then he'd skewer them and make their insides their outsides for messing with his boyfriend and for making his crew suffer!

"Unfortunately not," Kaku replied, one of his eyes hiding behind the brim of his cap. "I was quite honest about my assessment." With a huge push, Zoro threw the man off of him, sending Kaku leaping backward as he attacked again. Kaku met him head-on, trading blow for blow as their blades clashed and rang throughout the room for several long moments, everyone else watching in silence. Luffy finally yanked himself out of the rubble he'd been thrown into after the Tempest Kick and Robin had finally reached the window. She'd been walking resolutely but also slowly, as if she was reluctant to leave. She threw the window open, letting the rising storm's wind rush into the room.

"Don't go, Robin!" Luffy called, hoping that she'd stop. Her hand hesitated at the window sill, hovering just above its surface. "We're not done talking yet!"

"No, it's over." Robin turned and looked her former captain in the eye, the night and the coming storm behind her. "This is the last time you'll see me." That hard determination was still there in her eyes but she still looked as if she didn't want what was happening.

"Robin!" Nami yelled, dismayed that her friend was actually going to leave them for good. Zoro's eyes narrowed, as he prepared to give Luffy a chance to get their crewmate back. He grunted, catching Kaku's chisels on his swords and cutting clean through them before slashing at the man again. He ducked, chucking his useless weapons away in the process.

"Luffy! Go after Robin!" Zoro called, knowing that he wasn't going to give up on the woman in spite of the swordsman's own opinions. "Don't let her get away!" Luffy roared as he ran, trying to reach Robin as she jumped onto the sill of the window.

"Confident, huh?" Kaku said upside down, having caught himself on one hand. "You really shouldn't take your eyes off of me!" Before the green-haired man had time to move, the agent flipped onto his feet and pointed his index finger, delivering three Finger Pistols to Zoro's chest and stomach, drawing blood just like a real gun would.

"ZORO!" Chopper screamed, horrified that a human hand could do that and that it hurt his friend. Zoro coughed up blood, falling to the floor in pain.

"Finger Pistol. It turns out that there are some things more deadly than bullets," Kaku mused. Zoro was down and Luffy never made it to Robin. Lucci stepped in and grabbed the man's face, holding him off the ground as Robin went to step out of the window.

"I have him," Lucci called. "Now go." Robin stood still for a moment, staring down in the darkness below her, the heavy clouds of Aqua Laguna obscuring all celestial lights in the sky. One foot dangled over that precipice for one moment more before she dropped out of sight and disappeared into the abyss. All their efforts to get her back had been in vain.

"ROBIN!"

They'd been beaten. Lucci threw Luffy to his left without any effort at all, getting ready for the next part of the beat down.

"Luffy!" Nami cried.

"Zoro!" Chopper gasped.

"I don't believe it! How can they be so strong?" Nami was trembling as Zoro peeled himself off the floor and as Luffy writhed on the ground.

"I knew you were tough but this is too much!" Paulie breathed, glaring down his former friends.

"We're not like you," Lucci elaborated. "As members of CP9, for as long as we can remember, we've trained to surpass the limits of the human body and vowed to hone those skills into an instrument of absolute justice. The results of that training are the superhuman techniques known as the Six Powers. So now I'm sure that it's abundantly clear to you why the four of us are the government's most elite agents. And by the same token, you must also realize how miserably weak a band of pirates is in comparison."

There was almost nothing that the Straw Hats could do in this situation, they were outclassed and bloodied while CP9 remained as fresh as ever. But that wasn't even the most horrible part of it all and Lucci was about to show them why. He transformed into a monster, his body growing to twice its size, bulking up and developing into the man-beast form of the Cat-Cat Fruit, Leopard Model. It was terrifying, staring into the face of a monster as the first floors of the Galley-La office blew up, the fire starting to spread through the building. His strength was monstrous, just like his body. He cut the entire main office in half with a Tempest Kick just to stop some workmen from getting up the stairs, burying Chopper under rubble as he pushed Nami out of the way and then the agent turned on Paulie as he was attempted to get Iceberg to safety. However, the leopard man never got to attack because an angry fist decked him from ten feet away. Luffy screamed, readying another punch as he leaped up into the air. But Lucci was faster, brandishing his claws and digging one of them into the rubber man's gut as hard as he could.

"Finger Pistol."

"LUUUUUFFFFFYYY!" Zoro screamed, horrified at seeing the claw come out of his captain's back covered in blood. Luffy could hardly breathe as pain and shock flared in his wide eyes. Lucci dropped him and the man managed to land on his feet, wobbly, but still up, his hand on his bleeding wound. Lucci licked some of the blood off of his claw, smirking triumphantly. Zoro didn't know what to do, he was so terrified for his lover that he couldn't move as the leopard man grabbed Luffy's face again and hurled him through the wall. Luffy flew out into the city to fall to his death or drown. The man's scream echoed in the air, even in Aqua Laguna's rising winds.

"LUFFY!" Nami wailed.

"Damn you!" Zoro hauled himself to his feet and ran at Lucci, anger and hate racing through his veins as sharp as his swords.

"Iron Body," the agent hissed as Zoro's sword connected with his arm, stopping the blade from cutting him. He wheeled around and kneed the swordsman in the chest and sending him flying out of the building in the opposite direction of where Luffy had flown, leaving nothing but the Kitetsu behind where he'd dropped it.

"ZORO!" Nami screamed again, watching her friends disappear one by one. She was the only one left now, alone in a room full of murderous monsters.

"Now it's your turn." Lucci threatened, turning on the woman, towering over her. The navigator scooted back, her body trembling as the monsters advanced on her, their eyes unforgiving and void of any mercy. She screamed again, but it was cut off all too soon.

CP9 left the main office in flames, their mission with the Galley-La company and the Straw Hat Pirates at an end. They had much more important things to worry about now than a weak little pirate crew.

Rock and a Hard Place

They picked up the life I'd given up on…returned the heart that I lost…and continued the dreams that I no longer believed in…even after all I've done, I found friends who will still believe in me!

Then what is your wish?

That excluding me, all the other Straw Hat pirates will be able to leave this island safely!

"Luffy! Zoro! Where are you guys!?" Nami screamed, zooming through town on her yagara with the rest of the Galley-La shipwrights and Chopper. She'd missed the train at the station but they still had to go after Robin! She was their friend and she was sacrificing herself for them! They had to know, that way they'd get off their asses and help save their crewmate! "Zoro! Luffy!"

As they searched, the Galley-La men ended up at the edge of the Ship Building Island, looking out at the dried-up sea that Aqua Laguna had claimed. The sea was going to send massive waves up against the island and no one knew just how devastating it was going to be. Nami ran up to the edge, trying to catch her breath when she noticed Kokoro and Chimney, and Gonbe standing on the rail, looking out to the sea. Chimney was shouting something, trying to get her granny's attention and it caught Nami's too.

"There's something in between those two buildings! Come on, Granny! Look! Look!" The little girl pointed far out into the Back

"Kokoro!" Nami called, surprised to see them there.

"Oh, if it isn't the pirate girl!" Kokoro laughed, taking a swig from her ever-present bottle.

"Heeeey! Miss Pirate Lady!" Chimney called out to Nami while hanging onto her granny's leg, her hair and body being pulled by the strong winds. "Look! Look over there! I see something!"

"Like what?" Nami walked up to the rail and jumped up, wrapping her arms around the rail as far as she could, and hauled herself up.

"Just what are you going on about, Chimney?" Kokoro asked, but the redhead was more concerned about the lack of water in the ocean, if that was even a thing!

"No way! What happened to the sea!?" The navigator gaped at the desolation of the ocean floor, horrified by what Aqua Laguna had in store. But that wasn't the only thing she was gaping at, having looked where Chimney had been pointing. Deep in the exposed Back Streets, wedged tightly between two towers, was Luffy! He was barely visible, his rubber body stuck and pinched and jammed into an almost immovable spot, his straw hat in just as bad of a state.

"Lu…ffy…!" Nami slid off the rail, her hands clenching into fists and trembling. He's alive! And he's so dead if a wave hits him!

"Straw Hat? Isn't that your King-of-the-Pirates captain?" Kokoro asked.

"Well, huh?" Chimney followed up. Nami's face contorted into one of rage and she started booking it across the island, headed for the huge stairs that lead down into the Back Streets.

"Hey! Hold on! Where do you think you're going?!" Kokoro shouted, worried for the girl. "Don't go down to the Back Streets! It's dangerous!" The rest of the shipwrights caught wind of Kokoro's shouts and all started calling for Nami, trying to get her to stay.

"Hey! Wait!"

"Somebody stop that woman!"

"Come back!" But Nami had too much of a head start as she dashed down the stairs, reaching the first landing and leaping onto the side rail. She caught her breath for a moment before backing up as much as she could, her feet digging into the ground as she prepared to run.

"ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL YOURSELF!? AQUA LAGUNA IS GOING TO HIT ANY MINUTE! COME BACK!" Kokoro gave one last desperate scream before Nami was running again, hitting the edge of the rail and jumping out over a twenty-story fall to her death.

She was reaching for the nearest roof of the Back Streets, reaching the peak of her jump, and then started to fall. Her heels hit the roof and she managed to stay on her feet as wet and slippery as it was and ran again. She traveled like that, leaping from one roof to the next, desperately trying to reach Luffy, to tell him about Robin, to get his ass moving so that they could save their friend. It was dangerous, yes. It was reckless, yes. But the people who were usually reckless were out of commission and she had to do it. And she did do it. If she slipped, she was dead, if she slipped, Luffy was dead, if she slipped, Robin was dead. She couldn't slip! She couldn't fall! Lungs heaving, Nami jumped across another drop and landed precariously on another rooftop before barreling forward to do it again and again. She could see the wave approaching on the horizon, the devastating destruction of Aqua Laguna rearing its head. Her only chance to survive was to get Luffy out of that damn building so he could carry her to safety! She kept running. But soon she was at her limit – chest heaving, breath gone, tossed about by the wind and out of rooftops to jump on, she leaped onto the closest roof to Luffy's building and hit the shingles. Her legs collapsed, exhausted and wet and slippery, and she skidded to a halt painfully, bruised and battered after her insane run.

"This is it…I can't go any further!" she panted, standing up and looking for Luffy. His building was right in front of her, across a plaza that was normally filled with water. There he was! The rubber man was still wedged in the same spot, and Nami prayed that he was breathing – that he was alive. The horrible memories of Lucci stabbing him and picking him up like a rag doll were still fresh in her mind, but he couldn't be dead! He just couldn't!

There! He moved! He was wiggling around, his arm twitching in his uncomfortable entrapment. He was alive! But as glad as the navigator was that he was alive, she was so pissed at him!

"LUFFY!" She screamed, panting as she still caught her breath. "YOU IDIOT! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING UP THERE?!"

"Nami!?" Luffy shouted back, his voice sounding as smushed as his body was. "Where are you!? I can't see!" He grunted and growled, renewing his struggles to get unstuck. "Okay, listen! It's not my fault! That pigeon guy sent me flying and I got stuck between these buildings, so I can't move! I'm trying though!" He was apologizing and it wasn't his fault, but it still hurt Nami to see him in such a ridiculous state when their friend was going to be tortured and executed, all because of them! Tears ran down the navigator's face, unable to hold back her sadness and frustration as she remembered Robin's bright smile along with all she'd done for them.

"Is this a joke to you!?" she yelled, her voice raw and full of anguish. "We don't have time for this! Those guys from the government took Robin away and you weren't even there to help! She did it all for us, you know! She's going to sacrifice herself!" Nami broke down sobbing, completely unable to stop her tears now. "The government was planning on attacking us but Robin turned herself over to CP9 so we would be safe! She knew they would kill her but she didn't care!"

"Then…Robin was lying…?! This whole time?!" Luffy asked, unsure of whether or not Nami heard him. He was so glad, Robin was still their friend! But she was also gone, gone for their sakes. "I'm glad!" And that's when he saw the wave, the wave that was going to drown him and kill Nami if he didn't do something. But first, he had a promise to make: he'd keep his crew safe and he wasn't going to lose anyone else! "Don't worry! I'm not going to let Robin die!"

And with that, Luffy pushed with all of his might, his scrawny arms filling with a strength that threw most of his enemies for a loop when he attacked them. Luffy didn't look very strong, but he was unstoppable when he got down to business, and this building was nothing compared to everything that they'd faced! This storm was nothing! Their past pains were nothing compared to what Robin was going to go through and he wasn't going to let her go!

The wave was here, towering over the island like a vengeful god, powerful enough to destroy the Back Streets and wreck Water 7with its devastating force.

The storm had finally arrived, in more ways than one.

The building groaned and split and finally broke apart, caving to the strength of one man on a mission. Luffy broke the towers and freed himself with a monstrous howl before grabbing Nami with his long arm and catapulting them towards the bridge off of another tall tower (even Zoro could hear him several blocks away and over Aqua Laguna). If they could just get to the Ship Building Island, then they'd be safe!

"Nami! Let's go!" Luffy recoiled both of his arms, bringing Nami close to him and getting them up onto the next building before reaching for the next one, the wave close behind them. It started wrecking buildings as it made landfall, crashing through the town with unbelievable force. Soon the pair were jumping off of shattered rooftops and rubble that the sea had made, barely scraping by with each jump. Nami was screaming as she held onto her captain and Luffy's arm wrapped around her tighter, keeping a strong hold on his friend. One more! Just one more! Luffy slung his arm out to catch the side of the huge bridge that led up to the Ship Building Island and threw himself and Nami towards it. They flew, landing on the bridge at the same time as Zoro and Chopper appeared out of nowhere and landed on the bridge as well. Nami landed on top of Luffy, crushing the air out of him and Zoro hit the ground hard as well, Chopper being the only one out of the group that had landed on their feet.

Luffy sat up to catch his breath and check on his crew. Zoro was down but he was breathing and Nami and Chopper were looking at each other with relieved looks on their faces. Everyone was back and they knew where Sanji, Robin, and Usopp were! The huge wave had been stopped by the stair bridge but it was building up behind them and would overflow onto the stairs any moment. They had to move! Luffy gasped as the wave broke on top of the bridge and came towards them, ready to swallow them up and drag every last one of them out to sea. Nami and Chopper screamed as the wave collapsed over them, Luffy jumping and reaching for his friends. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't see and he couldn't do anything as the wave washed past him and up the bridge.

He hadn't made it in time to grab his crew but something grabbed onto him instead as the water flowed over him, trying to drag him out to sea. It was a rope! The rope pulled on his arm, yanking him out of the water after a few endless moments of near-drowning, and dropped him and Nami and Chopper and Zoro onto the breaking bridge. Luffy landed on the swordsman's stomach, his head knocking into his chest. They were both breathing, thank goodness! Luffy coughed off to the side as Zoro's arms wrapped around him, getting his strength back after being released from the sea. Zoro was just glad that they were all still in one piece, and he was determined not to let go of Luffy for at least two minutes before the next crazy thing happened. The pair looked up to see Paulie standing in front of him. The shipwright had saved them!

"HURRY!" Paulie yelled, looking behind them. "We're not safe yet! Run to Ship Building Island!" Luffy didn't need to see to know that another wave was behind them, so he yanked Zoro to his feet and just started running, picking up Nami and dashing like hell towards higher ground. Zoro grabbed a now-small Chopper and ran with him, catching up to Paulie as they charged towards solid ground.

"Hurry! Run for it!"

"The bridge is done for!" The rest of the shipwrights were shouting at them, encouraging the group from a supposedly safe place, and Luffy hauled Nami up on his shoulder and ran faster. They leaped up onto the main island as the wave that was nipping at their heels crashed into the wall behind them, finally stopped by the island. They collapsed onto the ground, soaked, tired, and thoroughly frightened. Chopper had somehow managed to latch onto Zoro's head, his entire body covering the man's face. The swordsman was attempting to get the reindeer to let go of his head because he couldn't breathe, desperately needing air after that sprint to safety, but Chopper was too terrified to move his body. Zoro fell back on the ground, gasping into fur.

"You morons. You're lucky to be alive!" Paulie huffed, lighting a new cigar for himself, though Luffy didn't know how he did it in the rain. He must've had Sanji powers.

"Thanks, you saved us, Rope Guy," Luffy panted.

"I didn't know Aqua Laguna would be like that." Nami rubbed her arms, trying to come to terms with the power of the storm. "I can't stop shaking!"

"If it was that bad every year, we'd be sunk," Paulie growled, spooked by the storm as well. "I'm just as surprised as you folks are. This ain't normal at all."

"You pirates are just one step shy of crazy!" Kokoro chuckled, relieved that her new friends were safe. "You're lucky to be alive right now."

"Oh hey, Monster Granny! I didn't know you were here too!" Luffy sat up and addressed Kokoro.

"I may be drunk but I'm not stupid enough to say at sea during this storm!"

"You were awesome, Mr. Pirate!" Chimney ran up behind her cackling grandmother and started jabbering. "Your arms were like boing boing!"

"Naa! Naa!" Gonbe added.

"Yeah! I know!" the rubber man chuckled.

Chopper was still clinging onto Zoro's face but the man finally pried him off and took great lungfuls of air.

"I was gonna die!" Zoro shouted at a passed-out Chopper. "Little turd! Don't put my face in that death grip and pass out!" His outburst got Luffy's attention. The rubber man practically jumped into Zoro's lap and wrapped his stretching arms around his torso several times. Zoro had to yank Chopper out of his lap and just kind of held up his unconscious body out of the way as his boyfriend took over.

"Hey, Zoro! What were you doing down there when the wave hit? Couldn't you get away?" he asked, puzzled as to why his boyfriend was down in the Back Streets as well.

"Oh, um, yeah, you know." It was too embarrassing to tell him what had happened! Zoro was going to take that information to the grave. However, at the moment, Chopper conveniently woke up and spilled the beans.

"Zoro got stuck in a chimney!" The swordsman's face dropped into mortification as his secret got out and he turned on the fuzzball in his hands. His face went murderous as his hand came up to choke the little turd.

"You got stuck in a chimney?" Luffy's eyes went wide in astonishment and then he burst into laughter. "Zoro, you dope! I couldn't be that lame if I tried!" And at that moment, Nami leaped up like an avenging goddess and decked her dope captain, the punch ricocheting into Zoro as well.

"Don't forget you did the same thing twice!" she growled, baring her fangs. And that's when Luffy realized that they were still missing two (one) people.

"Where's Sanji and Usso-I mean, Sanji?" Nami got Luffy back up to speed with the facts that Usopp, Franky, and Sanji were all on the Sea Train with Robin and CP9 and that Robin was giving herself up so that her friends could leave Water 7 safely.

"So, let me get this straight: you're saying that Robin sacrificed herself to protect us?" Zoro asked, after hearing the whole story.

"That's right," Nami nodded.

"And Usopp and the cook are on the train with her…" Zoro scratched his head and looked over at Luffy, who'd got up and walked over to the rail to look out at the sea as if he were searching for Robin already. "Well, what should we do, captain?"

"There's only one thing to do…set off and rescue them right away!" Luffy concluded. "Let's move our asses. We're saving Robin."

"Aye, aye, captain!" That was an order that they could all get behind. The four of them started off, not knowing where they were going to go but at least wanting to do something. As they walked, Zoro took Luffy's hand in his own, taking comfort that they at least had a chance to make things right again.

Runaway Train

Luffy had literally been screaming his head off as the Sea Train zoomed down the track. The rubber man had insisted on sitting up on top of Rocket Man near the chimney as the motley crew of pirates and assorted friends set off on their dangerous journey to Enies Lobby. Rocket Man was cool, it was crazy and it was hella fast! Underneath the island, the train had literally rocketed through the underground canals so fast that Luffy had gotten water up his nose and nearly fell off the train. Zoro just stuck his head out of the window and rolled his eyes at his boyfriend but he had to admit that he was enjoying the sea train as well. It was an amazing work of engineering and only a genius could've designed and built it. And then they got another surprise as they bust out of the canals and into the open ocean: the Franky family caught up to them with giant yagaras named Sodom and Gomorrah. The dismantlers had all piled into their gigantic boat and managed to hitch the boat and the yagaras onto Rocket Man for a ride. Luffy started in surprise when the Franky Family shot their "Connection Cannon" and rammed hooks through the back of the passenger car. It had shaken the whole train! He could hear the shouts of Nami, Chopper, Zoro, and the rest of their allies as they nearly got impaled, but everything turned out fine. As the sea train hit the ocean, Luffy barely managed to hang on, and the force of the impact sent him up into the air, his arms stretching to keep his grip. He laughed loudly, enjoying the chaos of everything going around them before he got snapped down onto the train again by his recoiling arms. Things were getting exciting!

Inside the car, Zoro was coughing in the cloud of dust caused by the hooks and got up to go give the Franky Family a piece of his mind. "Goddammit! Those stupid bastards!" He stopped over to the smashed back of the car and stuck his head out to yell at the assholes. "You idiots! You've got to be more careful!"

"Thanks for the help!" the crew chorused back, ignoring the grumpy man and laughing boisterously. Granny Kokoro was laughing at the shenanigans while at the controls but her attention was drawn to Luffy who was shouting at her from the chimney.

"Hey Monster Granny! So is this the fastest Rocket Man can go?" he yelled, not very impressed by the ambling speed of the sea train now that it was on the ocean. "It's not very fast at all!"

"Just hold your horses!" she called back. "Things will change once we hit the railway!" She promised Luffy that she'd find the railway, even if it had drifted a bit. For a few moments, Granny Kokoro's eyes were trained on the sea and its hectic waves, searching for the rail line. Once she found it, she turned Rocket Man on the correct course, giving him a little speed before making her announcement.

"ATTENTION!" she said into the loudspeaker. "This train will soon be on the railway! Once we are, our speed will accelerate exponentially! Find something to hold onto so we can keep injuries to a minimum!" Luffy laughed, excited by the prospect of their speed "accelerating exponentially" and excitedly looked at the railway track under the waves. Monster Granny steered the sea train towards it, but Rocket Man hit a wave and jumped over it, missing. The rubber man floated in the air for a moment, having only had one hand attached to the train. Monster Granny swore from the cab but got Rocket Man back into gear, blaring the horn. The train turned slightly, its wheels barely missing the track, but at least it was running nearly on top of it. Rocket Man shifted again, leaning a little too much to the left.

"Listen you! Behave yourself!" Granny Kokoro snapped at the train. Gonbe and Chimney oohed and aahed as she maneuvered the train. This was the most they'd seen Granny do in a long time besides drink! It was exciting

"A little to the right!" the young girl called.

"Don't you worry! I'll get it right next time! You'll see!" The older woman narrowed her eyes, determined to do her part in getting the crazy pirates and everyone else to Enies Lobby. But that was the moment that she realized that Chimney and Gonbe had snuck on the Sea Train! She flipped out as her granddaughter and her pet rabbit-cat waved happily from on top of the train. "Chimney! Gonbe! I thought I left you with Iceberg!? How the hell did this happen!? Quick get inside! You'll be blown away out there!"

More shenanigans happened as the little girl nearly fell off the train, but managed to hang on. Luffy watched as Monster Granny started freaking out even more and tried to stop the sea train, but she freaked out even more when she was reminded that this train didn't have any brakes! The rubber man slipped his way over to the kid and the rabbit-cat near the driver's cab. A little animated conversation took place between Luffy and Chimney, but then Monster Granny was yelling at him to grab the kiddo before the train hit the tracks, the threat of losing her and Gonbe very real. Luffy went to reach for the girl, but it was already too late.

And it was at that distracted moment that Rocket Man jumped one last time, floating just over the tracks for a moment before clicking into line. The second the wheels hit the track, Luffy and Chimney, and Gonbe were blown away by the force of the train's acceleration. They were weightless as all three of them flew into the air, the train raced past them as they flipped end over end and right into the Franky Family's boat where they were finally stopped by the Herculean Destroyer's stomachs. Luffy hit first, throwing the towering human back into the boat, and then Chimney and Gonbe crashed into him. Even though they were "safe" and still with the train, Rocket Man was so damn fast that they were stuck there for a few minutes until the initial burst of speed slowed enough to steady out into a reckless dash across the water. Luffy grabbed the little girl and her rabbit-cat and crawled up to Rocket Man, scuttling around the side until he could open a window and throw himself inside.

"You weren't kidding, Monster Granny! This thing is fast! Shishishi!" Luffy laughed like a crazy person.

"I thought I was a goner!" Luffy and Chimney both sighed afterward, looking just as surprised and rattled at the rest of the Straw Hats, the three Galley-La shipwrights, and the few members of the Franky Family that were inside the main car.

"You almost were!" Kokoro yelled, sitting the pair down on the couch with her. "I told you if you didn't get inside you were going to be blown away!" she snapped again.

"That speed was crazy!" Luffy exclaimed.

"I told you." Kokoro folded her arms.

"She's right! That was rough!" Tilestone, one of the shipwrights, shout-spoke.

"Ow, hurt my back." Lulu rubbed his aching back. The two of them and Paulie were sitting next to Zoro and that's when the swordsman noticed the extra baggage.

"Hold on a second." He stated. "There are a few more people in here than there should be.

"Yeah? Who do you mean?" Tilestone and Lulu asked.

"He means you!" Paulie yelled.

"I mean you too!" Zoro snapped.

In the end, all three groups ended up having a common enemy: the government. Luffy and his crew were going after Robin who'd been captured by CP9, the Franky Family was going after their bro who was also captured by CP9 and the Galley-La shipwrights were going to avenge Iceberg, who'd been attacked by CP9. They all had the same enemy and a common goal, so what was the harm in working together for a little bit? The three groups set aside the scuffles that had happened back on Water 7 after some arguing and made an alliance with each other to oppose the government. And that wasn't even the most surprising part: it had all been Luffy's idea! Runaway trains weren't the only thing that seemed to be crazy apparently. Zoro was so proud of Luffy as he laid out the facts of the situation and inspired the others to form an alliance. He smiled softly as everyone agreed to work together, spurred on by his beloved's confidence. Now everyone was ready to kick some ass!

Oh, there was one more crazy thing: it was the waves! Aqua Laguna was going to smash the train into bits if they didn't do something about it! Granny Kokoro wasn't able to slow, stop or turn the train once it was on the track, so it was up to the Straw Hats, Galley-La, and the Franky Family to get through the storm and make it to Enies Lobby as safely as they could. If they couldn't do that, they'd die in the storm. After having made their alliance, the Galley-La men along with the Franky Family ran up to the roof of the Sea Train and the Family's ship to try and break up with wave with a series of cannonballs. No matter how much they tried or what kind of force they used, they just couldn't break up the wave enough to save the Sea Train.

"Hey, Luffy," Zoro said, looking up at the roof and hearing the shakes and quakes of the cannonballs outside. It didn't sound like the guys were having much luck with the wave.

"Yeah, that big wave's asking for it, huh?" Immediately understanding Zoro's thoughts from those two words, Luffy swung his arm around to warm it up for a fight. Fighting a wave was probably one of the weirdest things they'd do but neither of them saw any way around it. Zoro hauled himself up onto the roof of Rocket Man after Luffy and got ready to do their thing.

Luffy started stretching out his body to limber up, the storm and the soakings he'd had that evening making him stiff with cold. Zoro, suffering from the same, stretched out into a low lunge, hand on the iron roof of the train, concentrating all his energy for his attack. But with their appearance, the rest of the guys had stopped firing. Even with Luffy and Zoro, they were going to need all the help they could get.

"Hey! Keep those cannons firing!" Zoro snapped, growling at the Franky Family and Galley-La.

"'Kay, but what are you guys planning on doing?" Paulie asked as the Franky Family opened fire again. Luffy slipped his hat off, letting it hang by its string on his back, and cracked his neck. Zoro stood and drew the Wado Ichimonji out of its sheath, placing the hilt in his mouth.

"Same thing as you," the swordsman replied with a dare. "Watch." The wave was almost on them and Rocket Man's whistle sounded, the shrill noise rising into the sky like a challenge to the sea. Luffy and Zoro stood on opposite sides of Rocket Man's chimney, resolute and ready for action.

"Hey! How much is a hundred and eight times two?" Luffy asked, really sucking at math.

"Two hundred and sixteen," Zoro replied, not sucking at math.

"Two hundred and sixteen, huh? That's too long," Luffy sighed. Their conversation wasn't making any sense to the rest of the men but it seemed to be important to them at least. "Can't we round up or something?"

"Fine, make it three hundred then." Zoro pulled out his other two swords and set the dull side of the Yubashiri on his shoulder.

"I don't get it. What do they think they're doing?" a Franky man asked.

"If cannons don't work what good are swords going to do?" another asked.

"Well, they did say we should keep fighting though," another added.

"Stop yapping and back them up!" Zambai yelled, spurring his men back into action. The cannons resumed their fire once again and Luffy was swinging his arm around and around, waiting for the right moment to strike.

"Okay! Ready?!" Luffy called to his boyfriend, completely trusting Zoro with their lives, just as Zoro was trusting him.

"Uh-huh," the swordsman answered.

"GUM-GUM…" Luffy started a Gatling while Zoro swung his swords up to the right and across his back.

"Three Hundred Caliber…" he began.

"WE'RE GONNA CRASH!" the Franky Family wailed as the massive wave came on top of them.

"CANNON!" Luffy and Zoro shouted, finishing their attacks and combining them into something much more powerful. The ensuing force punched a giant hole through the wave, big enough for the Sea Train, the King Bulls, and the Franky Family's ship to pass all the way through with room to spare, which it did, quite flashily, along with the gaping mouths of the Galley-La shipwrights and the Franky family shouting in disbelief. They'd punched a hole through a wave! A freaking wave! It didn't make any sense but it was the best thing ever! Now they just had to get through the wave before the hole closed up! The train swayed left and then right, and then dipped and climbed and then did the left and right thing again, scaring everyone on board and sending them tumbling back. And then the left-right thing happened again before the end could be seen and then Rocket Man was careening out of the wave and back onto the sea all in one piece.

"WE MADE IT!" Everyone outside was yelling and smiling and astonished that they were still alive. Zoro and Luffy just shrugged and smiled at each other as the swordsman sheathed his blades again. Luffy flashed a Victory sign and then leaped over to give his boyfriend a Luffy-sized hug. The swordsman, though appreciative of the affection, had to put a stop to his mauling due to both of them almost falling off the train and into the sea. He yanked Luffy off of him and hauled the younger man by his collar towards the windows so they could get back inside. Luffy went in first, sliding his feet and hips through the car window while still holding onto the outside. He breathed a sigh of relief and smiled hugely.

"Wow! That was really fun!" Luffy chuckled.

"I knew you guys were strong but that was something else!" the pink-clothed Franky woman named Kiwi exclaimed.

"Are you an alien or something? 'Cuz that was totally out of this world!" the yellow-clothed Mozu added. And then Luffy was kicked from behind and thrown across the floor as Zoro slipped into the car, taking his captain's place halfway in the window.

"Whoops. Sorry about that," he casually apologized.

"Zoro!" Luffy growled, jumping to his feet and baring his fangs at the man.

"I said I was sorry." Zoro leaped down and landed safely on the floor, leaning down and kissing Luffy's cheek in a second apology.

"Huh?! Are they-?!" Mozu and Kiwi gasped, striking dramatically shocked poses as Luffy jumped onto the swordsman's chest and demanded another kiss while wrapping his legs around the other's hips. Zoro replied with a soft kiss on the young man's lips before walking over to Nami who'd called them over to talk to Sanji through the Den-Den Mushi he'd left for them. "They ARE!" The sisters then started giggling to themselves and collapsed into laughter on the couch with Granny Kokoro.

"You guys aren't one step shy of crazy, you are crazy!" Granny Kokoro amended her earlier statement from Ship Building Island as she saw the crazy pirate captain hang off of his apparent boyfriend.

"That you Luffy?" the snail asked, his voice sounding like Sanji's. Luffy took the receiver from Nami and held it up to his mouth.

"Yep! It's me!" he replied to the snail. "You save Robin?"

"No, sorry. I'm afraid I'm still working on that one." the snail said again with Sanji's voice. "Nami just told me why Robin surrendered and all of that stuff, so yeah, I know what's going on."

"I see." Luffy jumped off of Zoro and crouched on the ground. "That's good. Well, you know what's next. Go ahead. Give 'em hell, Sanji." Luffy let his cook off the leash, knowing that Sanji wouldn't be content just to sit and wait for them now that he knew.

"What?!" Nami exclaimed. Chopper started screaming again.

"Now, hold on!" Zoro interrupted, drawing Luffy's attention. "He'll die if he fights them now! If he wants to stand a chance he's got to wait for us!" the swordsman shouted towards the receiver that his boyfriend was holding and addressed Sanji. "Hey, cook! Can you hear me? Some of those guys on that train are really tough! You shouldn't-"

"Zoro!" Luffy cut him off, knowing that the man was just being cautious after their last scuffle with CP9 but it wouldn't help. "It's fine. If it was you, would you wait?"

"Hm?"

"If you were on that train right now instead of him, and I told you that Robin sacrificed herself to protect us, would you sit there and do nothing?" They already knew the answer: none of them would wait, no matter the consequences. "It's no use trying to stop him."

"Read me like a book," Sanji said, his smile copied onto the face of the snail. "But thanks, Moss Head, I never knew that you cared about me so much!" he teased. "I thought Luffy was the only one that you cared for, Lover Boy!~"

"I hope they kill you!" Zoro snapped, blushing just the slightest bit as the cook got under his skin. Mozu and Kiwi were laughing again, enjoying the banter between the Straw Hats and figuring out on their own that the swordsman was the butt of many jokes when it came to his relationship with their captain. It was funny!

"Anyway, that settles it," Sanji continued. "I was willing to fight for Robin even before I knew the truth, and now that I know how she really feels, I wouldn't stop even if you begged me!" And that's when the snail disconnected unexpectedly, something on Sanji's end messing up the call and the snail went to sleep.

"I hope he's okay on his own." Nami sighed, coming to terms with Sanji running wild on that train full of government officials and secret agents.

"Granny, hurry! Make the train go faster!" Luffy called.

"Faster?" Kokoro asked again.

"Yeah! More like zooooooom! You know?" Luffy punched his arm out quickly and then like it come back into place slowly. Unfortunately, he'd smacked Zoro in the jaw and when the swordsman regained his senses, he picked Luffy up by his vest and glared into his face. "That's for the window!" the rubber man huffed, even though the punch had been an accident. Zoro glared a few seconds longer but then shrugged and put his boyfriend down. He had a point.

"Oh don't you worry." Granny Kokoro smiled wider than her normal smile, amused at the little scuffle. "This baby is already going faster than it was ever supposed to! In fact, we're going so fast that we can't even stop anymore! Hehehe!"

And after that things just got silly. And it's because Nami had to change. The woman needed new clothes because hers were soaked and ripped and she had to switch outfits in the one car they had with all the rest of the men in it. Tilestone, Lulu, and Zambai ended up with nosebleeds, and Paulie was so outraged that he called Nami "immoral girl" again. He also turned on Mozu and Kiwi for their bikini and tank outfits that bared their legs and stomachs. However, they just laughed it off and called the man shy, dubbing him "Shy Boy" and making him blush angrily.

"If you're going to get mad at us, then you're going to have to get mad at them too," Nami hooked a thumb over her shoulder to where Luffy and Zoro were shirtless and pantless in their own attempts to get changed. It was an "attempt" because Luffy was glomming onto Zoro, both only in their underwear. And even if they weren't really "fooling around" they were still fooling around, or Luffy was as he tried to yank down Zoro's underwear for a laugh.

"Stop it Luffy!" the swordsman tried to pry the younger man off of him but Luffy just stretched and held onto his torso.

"I'm gonna get them! Shishishi!" Luffy's fingers crept closer to Zoro's waistband, threatening to yank away his only protection.

"This is seriously messed up," Paulie groaned, still blushing. "We're supposed to be getting ready to fight the government and all you're doing is goofing off!"

"But we're not there yet!" Luffy argued with a smile. "Technically, we're still gettin' there!"

"These guys are hilarious!" Mozu and Kiwi watched in amusement, smiling devilishly.

"Put some clothes on!" Nami shrieked, punching the pair of idiots and sending them crashing to the floor. Mozu and Kiwi dissolved into giggles again, tears leaking out of the corners of their eyes as they held their stomachs.

"Aye, aye, captain," the idiots groaned from the floor.

"Wait! I'm the captain!" Luffy retorted indignantly. And then he chuckled because no matter their situation, he was glad that his crew never changed. And soon, they'd be back together!

Just you wait, Robin! We're coming for you!

"Seriously, put some clothes on."

To be Continued...

A/N: And there you go! The end was a lot more light-hearted than the beginning so I hope that part was enjoyable at least. Stay tuned for more updates! See ya! ;3